“Rekindling Community”—public lecture and discussion

UPEI's Institute of Island Studies (IIS), in collaboration with the Nova Scotia Agricultural College's Rural Research Centre (soon to be the Rural Research Centre of Dalhousie's Faculty of Agriculture), and the Tatamagouche Centre invite the public to a lecture and discussion by Alastair McIntosh, a leading figure in Scottish land reform, and a well-known writer and broadcaster.

Entitled 'Rekindling Community,' the presentation will deal with many issues of current concern on Prince Edward Island, as well as offer persons of Scottish descent an opportunity to reconnect with what is happening in their ancestral homeland.

McIntosh notes that all around the world, rural communities are facing huge challenges to their cohesion. Globalization has changed the economic basis of agriculture and natural resource extraction, while high levels of mobility, made possible by cheap oil, have created fluidity in the social structure. In Scotland, as on PEI, many communities are undergoing a fundamental re-evaluation of what it means to be a community, and how to increase their resilience and maintain a better quality of life.

'We are very lucky to have such a wonderful speaker here on the Island. It is a timely opportunity to consider how our small communities can survive in the face of government funding cuts, outmigration, climate changes and other forces,' notes IIS Director, Dr. Irene Novaczek. 'Alastair's lecture will explore some of these issues based on his work with land reform. His presentation will also touch on community regeneration and explore the spiritual underpinnings of community.'

Alastair McIntosh's book, Soil and Soul, has garnered some interesting responses. It has been described by George Monbiot as 'world-changing,' by the Bishop of Liverpool as 'life-changing,' by Starhawk as 'inspirational,' and by Thoom Yorke of Radiohead as 'truly mental!' His most recent edited book, Radical Human Ecology is co-authored with colleagues from the Department of Native Studies at the University of Wisconsin. He is a fellow of the Centre for Human Ecology, and visiting professor of human ecology at the University of Strathclyde.

The presentation and discussion will take place on Monday, July 16, in the Faculty Lounge at UPEI's Main Building at 7:00 pm. The event is free of charge and all are welcome to attend.